hope, to seduce the Protector's Guard,'' to blow up the Protector in his bed-room,' and do "other little fiddling things," as the Protector calls them, which one cannot waste time in specifying! Only the slow course of nature can kill that Hydra till a Colonel Sexby die, how can you keep him quiet?

But what doubtless gives new vitality to plotting, in these weeks, is the fact that a General Election to Parliament is going on. There is to be a new Parliament; -in which may

lie who knows what contentions. The Protector lost it last time, by the arithmetical account of heads; will he gain it this time? Account of heads is not exactly the Protector's basis; but he hopes he may now gain it even so. At all events, this wide foreign and domestic Spanish War cannot be carried on without supplies; he will first try it so, - then otherwise if

not so.

'To Henry Cromwell, Major-General of the Army in

SON HARRY,

Ireland.'

'Whitehall,' 26th August, 1656.

We are informed, from several hands, that the old Enemy are forming designs to invade Ireland, as well as other parts of the Commonwealth; and that he and Spain have very great correspondence with some chief men in that Nation, for raising a sudden rebellion there.

Therefore we judge it very necessary that you take all possible care to put the Forces into such a condition. as may answer anything that may fall out in this kind. And to that end, that you contract the Garrisons in Ireland, as many as may be; and get a considerable marching Army into the field, in two or three bodies, to

be left in the most proper and advantageous places for service, as occasion shall require. Taking also, in all other things, your best care you can to break and prevent the designs and combinations of the Enemy;-and a very particular regard is to be had to the North, where, without question, busy and discontented persons are working towards new disturbances. I do not doubt but you will communicate this thing to Colonel Cowper, to the end he may be more watchful and diligent in looking to this danger. I rest,

Your loving father,

OLIVER CROMWELL.*

'Colonel Cowper' commands the Forces in Ulster. Plenty of details about him in Thurloe's Fourth Volume: our readers can sufficiently conceive him without details. We are more interested to state, from a Letter of Thurloe's which goes along with this, that there are Fourteen Spanish ships plying about the Isle of Islay,' doubtless with an eye to Carrick. fergus; that we hope, and indeed believe, my Lord Henry will be on the alert. For the rest, the Elections are going well; all for peace and settlement,' as we hear, and great friends to the Government.' Ashley Cooper, indeed, has been chosen for Wilts: but, on the other hand, Bradshaw has missed in Cheshire; Sir Henry Vane has tried in three places and missed in all. This is of date 26th August, 1656; poor England universally sifting itself; trying what the arithmetical account of heads will do for it, once more.

Sloane Mss. 4157, f. 209; and (with insignificant variations) Thurloe, v. 348.

i Thurloe to Henry Cromwell, date 26 Aug. (v. 349).

LETTER CCXIV.

THE Portugal has done justice; reluctantly aware at last that jesuitries would not serve him. The Spaniards, again, cower close within their harbours; patient of every insult; no ship will venture out, and no Plate Fleet will come in and as for 'attempting Cadiz or Gibraltar,' the Sea-Generals, after mature survey, decide that without other force it cannot prudently be done. This is what Montague, with his clear eyes, has had to report to Secretary Thurloe on the latter enterprise: "I perceive much desire that Gibraltar should be taken. My thoughts as to that are, in short, these: That the likeliest "way to get it is, By landing on the sand, and quickly cutting "it off between sea and sea, or so securing our men there

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as that they may hinder the intercourse of the Town with the "Main; frigates lying near, too, to assist them :-and it is "well known that Spain never victualleth any place for one "month. This will want Four or Five thousand men, well "formed and officered.-This is my own only thought which "I submit, at present.

Whereupon the Lord Protector sends the following Orders; one other Sea Letter of his which we happen to have left. Mainly of Thurloe's composition, I perceive; but worth preserving on various accounts.

1 Meadows to Blake and Montague, 13 May, 1656: Thurloe, v. 14; -see ib. 69, 116, and 118 (the Portugal's Letter to Oliver, 24 June, 1656).

2 Montague to Thurloe, in cipher, 20 April to 29 May, 1656 (Thurloe, v. 67-70), 'received by Captain Lloyd, who arrived here 11th July,' -and has brought other Letters, joint Letters from the Generals, of somewhat later date, as we shall perceive.

To Generals Blake and Montague, at Sea.

GENTLEMEN,

Whitehall, 28th August, 1656.

We have received your Letters of the 19th of June brought to us by Captain Lloyd, who arrived here the 11th of July.

By those Letters, and by what Captain Lloyd related by word of mouth,-which is not contradicted by yours of the 1st and 3d of July, 'since' received by the Squadron of Ten Ships (which are all safely arrived in the Channel), nor by any other intelligence received by other hands,—we find That the Spaniard keeps within' his Ports, and doth not yet prepare any considerable Fleet to come to Sea; and that, in the condition you and they were then in, they were not to be attempted in their Harbours. And as for any design upon Gibraltar, we see by General Montague's Letter to the Secretary, that nothing therein was feasible without a good Body of Landsmen. So that, upon the whole, there remains nothing to be done, in those seas for the present, which should require the whole Fleet now with you to remain there. Besides that the Great Ships cannot, without great danger, be kept out, the winter time, upon that

coast.

Upon these grounds we are of opinion, with you, That a good Squadron of Frigates will, in this season, be sufficient to answer any opportunity of service which may present itself. And therefore we have resolved That about the number of Twenty Ships, such as you shall judge proper and fit for that purpose, be kept

in those seas; and the rest be sent home, with the first opportunity of wind and weather:-and desire that you will give order therein accordingly. And in respect it will be necessary that we advise with one of you at least, upon this whole affair; and it being also very inconvenient that you should be both from the head of the Fleet which remains behind, the management thereof being of so great concernment to the Commonwealth,we would have General Blake to stay with the Fleet, and General Montague to come with the Squadron which comes home.

For the service which these Ships 'that stay' should be applied to, we need say nothing therein; but refer you to the former Instructions. That which we believe the Enemy will most intend will be the carrying-on his Trade to the West Indies; which if he can effectually do, he will not much care for what else is done upon him. And our intelligence is, That at this time he is fitting out some Ships of war, and others, to send from Cadiz into those parts; -the certainty whereof we suppose you may know. And therefore that which is most to be endeavoured is, The spoiling him in that Trade, by intercepting his Fleets either going to or coming from those parts,1—and as much as may be To destroy his correspondencies thither. It will be of great use also to prevent the coming of any Materials for Shipping, or other contraband goods into Cadiz or any of his Ports: which you can have an eye to; and, as much as may be, prejudice his correspondency with Flanders.

thence' in orig.